1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an umbrella, and more particularly to an outdoor umbrella with solar power supply which converts solar energy to electrical energy and provides the electrical energy to electrical appliances attached on the umbrella, such as an illumination system.
2. Description of Related Arts
Foldable outdoors umbrellas are set up in many places such as in beach areas, in patio areas, in campsites or in domestic gardens etc. They are usually used for shading sunlight in the daytime. A conventional outdoors umbrella usually comprises an umbrella base, a supporting stem upwardly extended therefrom, a foldable awning frame which comprises a plurality of awning supporting arms radically and outwardly extended from an upper end portion of the supporting stem, and an fabric-made awning securely and foldably mounted on the awning supporting arms. There are few outdoors umbrella that has a lighting device mounted thereon. As a consequence, during nighttime, a user of the umbrella may either mount a lighting device, such as a portable lamp onto the supporting stem of the umbrella, or simply put the lighting device on the ground in which the umbrella stands for illumination.
Actually, mounting a lighting system on the outdoors umbrella is a challenging task. Not to mention the problems arise when one tries to design the mechanical connection between the lighting system and the outdoors umbrella without interfering its smooth folding action, it is the problem as how to provide the lighting system with enough and convenient power source which simply possesses the main difficulty in designing a practical lighting system.
As a matter of fact, some outdoors umbrellas with lighting systems are developed. Almost all of these existing outdoors umbrellas utilize conventional electrical power source to activate their lighting system. In other words, for each of these outdoors umbrellas, a power plug is extended from the lighting system via electrical wires and arranged to plug into a external electrical power source.
Since the outdoors umbrellas, as the name implies, are designed for use in outdoors, existence of an electrical power source cannot be guaranteed. Even through there are electrical sources exist, a tedious connection between the lighting system and the electrical source is unavoidable in that long wires have to be used. For some cases, the lighting systems may be compatible with portable dynamos, however, bring a bulky dynamo with the outdoor umbrella is not really a wise decision. For some other cases, instead of using dynamos, portable rechargeable batteries are used. However, the batteries may run out fast and the users of the outdoors umbrellas have to recharge the batteries frequently. If the users want to use the umbrella for overnight camping or picnic but he/she forgets recharging the battery, the lighting system cannot work and the mood of all the participants may be ruined.
As a matter of fact, the very purpose of using outdoors umbrella is to shade vigorous sunlight. Therefore, it would be more economical, more convenient and more environmentally friendly if one were able to utilize solar energy and convert it into electrical energy for providing power to the lighting system of the outdoor umbrella.